Trainers will be shuttled across Footasylum warehouses by automated robots after the sports and streetwear firm struck a deal with logistics company THG Fulfil.

THG Fulfil, a division of Manchester-based THG Ingenuity, has signed a deal with Footasylum to revamp its warehouse facilities with robots and automated operation platforms in a so-called Autostore system.

The tie-up will see 85 ‘AutoStore R5 robots’ deployed across more than 96,000 ‘bin’ locations. THG Fulfil’s software-as-a-service infrastructure, including a purpose-built Warehouse Control System (WCS), will manage the system, set to go live in September 2026.  

“What will make this partnership different is not just the hardware, it is the software and operational knowledge behind it,” said Tom Killeen, COO, THG Ingenuity. “THG Fulfil has spent two decades obsessing over the end consumer experience as a retailer, and that knowledge is embedded into everything we build.”

‘Significant investment’

Footasylum said the roll-out of the plan will help it realise its growth ambitions.  

“As Footasylum continues to grow, we are committed to investing in the infrastructure that will support the business today and long into the future,” said Hannah Mercer, CEO, Footasylum, said. “Our fulfilment operation is a critical part of that, and this project represents one of the most significant investments we have made in the business in recent times.” 

The deal marks a “step-change” in the retailer’s ability to fulfil customer orders, the company said.

THG Fulfil is part of THG Ingenuity, which was spun out of parent company THG last year. THG Ingenuity also owns City AM.